"Improvement" is chief among Matthew Brabham's description of an Indy Lights Open Test.

Brabham, 2013 Pro Mazda and 2012 USF2000 champion who will race in Indy Lights for Andretti Autosport, totaled 86 laps in two sessions at Sebring International Raceway. Overall, 10 drivers participated in the Jan. 7-8 Open Test.

"It's definitely a step up compared to Pro Mazda," said Brabham, who turns 20 on Feb. 25. "So far it's been challenging to get used to more power and more grip, but fun to drive. I'm slowly getting there, and it should be a good year for us."

Deltran Battery Tender Extends Partnership with RLLRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Deltran Battery Tender, a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency battery chargers, has increased their role with the team. Battery Tender was an associate sponsor of the team’s 2013 IndyCar Series program and in 2014 they will expand their involvement with RLL as an associate sponsor for both the IndyCar program and two-car United SportsCar Championship (USCC) effort. In addition to strategic branding across both IndyCar and USCC programs, the partnership includes a personal services role with IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal, who is expected to again be featured in a commercial for the brand.

Marc Coma, the three time winner of the event, put distance between himself and his rivals on the day's stage, which was partially shortened due to the extreme temperatures threatening the safety of the bikers. His neighbor Nani Roma regained the lead of the car race, with more than half an hour’s lead over his closest rival, Nasser Al Attiyah. Gerard De Rooy protected his lead in the truck race and now boasts a lead of more than half an hour over Andrey Karginov, his closest pursuer.

After four days of racing, a good number of the favorites on the Dakar have already suffered for various reasons or even returned home in some cases. Marc Coma, however, chose the morning of the 5th stage to burst into action and strike a major blow against all his rivals, whether named Cyril Despres, already in difficulty the day before, or Joan Barreda, who ground to a halt on the route to Tucuman.

Competitive Season On Horizon For Continental Tire ChallengePreview Of The Grand Sport Class

While BMW held the upper hand in both the Grand Sport and Street Tuner classes during the Roar Before the Rolex 24 testing, solid competition in both classes is expected for the season-opening Daytona Rising 200 on Jan. 24 and the remainder of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season.

This week, we take a look at what to expect in the Grand Sport class.

Returning veteran Bill Auberlen led the three-day test with a lap of 1:56.451 (110.055 mph), unofficially beating Jade Buford's year-old GS track record of 1:56.512 (109.997 mph), set last year in an Aston Martin Vantage. Auberlen returns with Paul Dalla Lana in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3, while Michael Marsal and Tom Kimber-Smith provide a solid pairing in the team's No. 97 entry.

Fall-Line Motorsports tested a pair of BMWs at the Roar. Trent Hindman, who came on strong at the end of last year, is teamed with John Edwards in the No. 46, while Shelby Blackstock and Ashley Freiberg are in the No. 48. All four drivers took turns leading sessions in their respective cars, which were second and fourth fastest in the final Roar results. Drivers for the team's third entry are yet to be announced.

Fans Will Pick Sprint Unlimited FormatFor the second year in a row, fans will decide upon a number of competition elements for the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, the 75-lap, non-points race that kicks off the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing season on Saturday, Feb. 15.

Starting today, fans can cast their votes to set the overall format and determine key racing elements. Fans will again set the number of laps in each of the three segments, while also voting on how drivers will line up at the start of the race and how they will line up for the restart of the final segment.

“We are excited to build off of the success of last year’s event and give our fans another opportunity to help make key decisions that will enhance the excitement around this highly anticipated race,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition and racing development. “This interactive element is unique to NASCAR – and all of sports.”

NASCAR Names Richard Buck NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Managing DirectorNASCAR has named Richard Buck, a NASCAR executive with a wealth of diverse experience in motorsports, as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series managing director. Buck will serve in the role held the past 12 years by John Darby, who will remain at NASCAR as managing director, competition. Buck and NASCAR’s two other national series managing directors – Wayne Auton (NASCAR Nationwide Series) and Chad Little (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) – now will report directly to Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president, competition and racing development.

Buck currently serves as vice president, racing operations for the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), a role he will maintain through the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona (Jan. 25-26), at which time he will assume his new position. In addition to his role with IMSA, Buck has been serving as the managing director of NASCAR’s Touring Series, the all-important grassroots racing program that has developed numerous top-flight NASCAR drivers over the years.

Letarte Heading For TV Booth In 2015Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will have a new crew chief in 2015. GodfatherMotorsports.com has learned that crew chief Steve Letarte will relinquish his spot atop the #88 teams pit box at seasons end to accept a new position as a television analyst with NBC and NBC Sports Network, beginning in 2015. Multiple sources say Letarte will join Rick Allen and driver Jeff Burton in the broadcast booth for the final 20 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, as well as the final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events.

KV Racing signs with PitFitPitFit Training announced today that they have agreed to terms with current Indianapolis 500 champions KV Racing Technology to provide a comprehensive pit crew performance and team wellness program to the IndyCar team for the 2014 season.

KV Racing Technology (KVRT) participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series and features former ChampCar champion and Formula One driver Sebastien Bourdais. PitFit Training will provide a physical training regime at both the PitFit Training headquarters as well as the KVRT race shop. Additional services provided by PitFit Training partner IU Health Sports Performance include injury checks, nutrition program, and access to the top healthcare system in Indiana. Additional chiropractic care will be provided by Dr. Kevin Butterfield, one of the chiropractors at the PitFit Training offices located on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

IndyCar Champion Nominated for New Zealand Sportsman of the Year Award2013 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon is among the nominees for New Zealand's Sportsman of the Year. Dixon won the award in 2008.

The winners of the New Zealand's Sportsman, Sportswoman, Disabled Sportsperson and Team of the Year Award categories are eligible for the Halberg Award. The winners to be announced at a ceremony at Auckland's Vector Arena in February.

Chevrolet IndyCar Teams to Test Next Week at SebringTen drivers amongst five Chevrolet IndyCar teams will test next Friday at Sebring International Raceway. The new look Ganassi Racing lineup of Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Briscoe and Charlie Kimball will be on-track together for the first time. Will Power, Helio Castroneves, and Juan Pablo Montoya from arch-rival Team Penske will also take to the 1.68 mile road course.

KVSH Racing will have Sebastien Bourdais piloting the #11 Dallara, while Mike Conway makes his 2nd appearance in the #20 Fuzzy's Vodka machine.

Panther Racing is also listed as a participant for next week's test, with a driver to be determined.

Lineup Announced for Honda Indy TorontoTORONTO, ON, January 9, 2014 - Organizers of the Honda Indy Toronto have announced the support series line-up for its 2014 event, taking place this summer from July 18-20. The event will feature a thrilling and diverse line-up of on-track entertainment to complement the two full-points IndyCar Series races headlining the weekend.

Returning to the event after a popular debut in 2013 is Robby Gordon's SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks, which will feature high-powered off-road trucks racing side-by-side on the challenging street course, including huge jumps, crossovers, whoop sections and many tight corners.

Exotic car racing will turn heads at the Honda Indy Toronto with the addition of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin, the first time the series has ever raced here on the streets of Toronto. The unique series features semi-professional drivers racing in one of the largest single-make series in North America.

Sage Karan wrestles in high school and is slated to drive IndyCars before he graduates

The last few months have been pretty sweet for Liberty High School wrestling coach Jody Karam.

Back in October, his son Sage Karam won the Firestone Indy Lights racing title, earning him a shot on the IndyCar circuit in 2014.

In December, Karam's Hurricanes handed their coach his first victory at Northampton (45-21) as Liberty coach. And Sage, a senior wrestler at Nazareth, won the 152-pound title at the Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic.

World's largest HD screen now taking shape at TexasSlowly but surely, “Big Hoss” is starting to rise at Texas Motor Speedway.

Above-ground work on the world’s largest high-definition video board began this week along the backstretch of the 1.5-mile oval outside Fort Worth, which hosts both NASCAR and the IndyCar Series.

Over the next three weeks, the construction team will be putting together the steel structure that will serve as both foundation and framework for the monster screen. Per TMS, the lower section of uprights should be moved into place by Jan. 21, with the upper section set to follow and be completed by Jan. 31.

Also underway at this time is the creation of Big Hoss’ electrical infrastructure. That, along with adding power to the base of the video board, is scheduled for completion within the next few weeks.

A new era in North American sports car racing began this past weekend as the new TUDOR United Sports Car Championship (TUSCC) held the annual Roar Before the 24 pre-season test at Daytona International Speedway. Fresh from two consecutive GRAND-AM Rolex Series GT manufacturer’s championships, Ferrari was back on the historic banks of Daytona, with seven 458 Italias participating in GT-Daytona class testing.

“Ferrari has made quite a lot of history at Daytona since our first race here in 1962, including five overall victories and several class victories,” said Marco Mattiacci, President and CEO, Ferrari North America. “Our teams and drivers are very focused on continuing this tradition as we return for another year of championship racing during our 60th Anniversary Year in North America.”

Back on track for the first time since clinching the final GRAND-AM GT class championships, Scuderia Corsa enjoyed two days of trouble-free testing in the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia (Balzan/Westphal/Case) and the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia (Randall/Wilden/Empringham/Farano). The team will add a third car, the no. 65 Scuderia Corsa/Via Italia Ferrari 458 Italia (Longo/Serra/Negrao/Gomes) for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

FanVision Acquires TrackScan, Gains Control Over Device DistributionFanVision has acquired TrackScan, a company that distributes radio scanners at NASCAR and IndyCar races. Financial terms of the deal were not available. The acquisition gives FanVision, which makes handheld video controllers for sporting events, control over distribution of its controllers at races. The company hopes that will allow it to provide better customer service for fans who rent its controllers. TrackScan, which was started in '93 in North Carolina, has a fleet of trailers that set up at NASCAR and IndyCar races. Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross owns FanVision. Sports Business Daily

Chip Ganassi changes team name, drops Earnhardt from NASCAR operationWhen Sprint Cup testing begins Thursday morning at Daytona International Speedway, there will be one well-known NASCAR name missing among the list of team owners. Earnhardt. The #1 and #42 Sprint Cup teams, which were run the last five years under the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates banner, will now return to their former name: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. The sign outside the North Carolina shop already has been changed, and stickers on the cars and patches on the driver and crew uniforms will carry the Chip Ganassi logo instead of the EGR logo.

Ganassi officials confirmed the change Wednesday but had no comment on the financial structure of the current organization, which fields Sprint Cup cars for Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson. Teresa Earnhardt, widow of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt and owner of Dale Earnhardt Inc., has not been involved in the day-to-day operations of the team and with the change apparently no longer has any financial stake in the NASCAR operation. There will be no change in the operation of the Ganassi teams, as Teresa Earnhardt has had little influence on the organization's day-to-day operations. Ganassi began using Hendrick Motorsports engines in 2013 in its two Cup cars. Sporting News

Video: Humpy Wheeler on racing’s pay driver conundrum“Pay drivers” in racing are not a new phenomenon, nor are they likely to go away anytime soon. In Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR and sports car, there are drivers all throughout the sport who have made their way to the top solely on their financial backing, or alternatively just used some backing to get started and then have their talent take over from there.

Racing’s not cheap and while this video from former Charlotte Motor Speedway president Humpy Wheeler doesn’t offer too much in the way of fixing it, it’s still a fairly spot-on assessment of the state of play in most of racing at the moment.

Sport1 Extends Broadcast Rights For FIA World Rally ChampionshipGerman sports network Sport1 has extended its broadcast rights deal for the FIA World Rally Championship and will continue to show the series in '14 DIGITALFERNSEHEN

Welsh Government To Provide $2.5M To Wales Rally GB Over Next Two YearsThe Welsh Government is to give £1.5M ($2.5M) "to the Wales Rally GB over the next two years," according to SKY SPORTS. Economy Minister Edwina Hart is hoping the organizers "can build on the success of last year's event, which attracted thousands of supporters." Hart said, "We want to maximize the benefits coming to Wales and build on this momentum which is why I have agreed in principle funding for Wales Rally GB over the next two years." Sky Sports.

NEWS NORTH WALES' Dean Jones reported organizers said that last year’s event, held in November, "was one of the most successful on record, with tens of thousands of spectators flocking to the event bringing a multi-million pound boost to the area, according to the Welsh Government." Some 600 million "tuned in to watch the 22 North Wales stages over the four-day event, which included stages in Llandudno and Conwy." News North Wales

Investigators: Schumacher At Fault For Ski Fall (Update)UPDATE FOX SPORTS reported French authorities said the investigation is "exhaustive and 'progressing well.'" Lead investigator PATRICK QUINCY said, "We've had a number of hearings from the emergency services on the spot -- people that rented the skis’, witnesses. We also examined the film." Quincy said that "it was difficult to evaluate Schumacher's speed before he fell but it was 'not important' and that 'only at the end of the investigation' will the question of culpability be addressed." Quincy said that the standards of sign-posting on the slopes "were in accordance with regulations." FOX SPORTS.

In London, Peter Allen reported accident defense lawyer EDOUARD BOURGIN ''was among those who had suggested that the resort had been at fault, and huge fines, compensation, and a prison sentence of up to three years could result." However, Quincy said that ''all rules'' governing signaling ''had been respected'' by those responsible for the area where Schumacher fell, "between a clearly marked red and blue run." He said that Schumacher had ''deliberately chosen'' to go into this potentially dangerous area while skiing with his 14-year-old son, MICK, and a group of friends. DAILY MAIL

Dakar: Sainz moves into the lead with stage four winFormer World Rally champion Carlos Sainz moved into the lead of the car category of the Dakar Rally after winning Wednesday's fourth stage of the event.

In bikes, Juan Pedrero take his maiden win at the end of a special which dealt Cyril Despres' prospects a severe blow. The Frenchman slipped down the general classification after conceding over 40 minutes to his rivals. Carlos Sainz, who turned the race on its head after spending the entire stage on the attack, grabbed the win and leapfrogged Roma to take the overall lead.

After a few stages in which he had let Joan Barreda steal the limelight during Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez decided enough was enough and pounded his fist on the table during the fourth special, part two of the motorcycles' marathon stage. The Chilean rider pulled out all the stops from the beginning and led the way at each CP. Even though it was not good enough for a twelfth Dakar stage win, his strong ride allowed him to claw back lots of time.

NASCAR's Brian France Calls For Increase In Primetime Races, Incentives For WinsNASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France yesterday said that he would "like to see more primetime races, that series officials want to find ways to make winning more valuable and he's looking forward to the No. 3 returning to the Sprint Cup Series this season," according to Dustin Long of MRN.com. France, while appearing on MRN's "NASCAR Live," said that there have been "discussions with the TV networks about start times."

France: "If anything, we're trying to go a little bit later. We're, obviously, trying to get more prime-time events and be in the widest possible audience that's available on television, although I certainly understand that creates some hardships as well with people trying to get back."

Team Penske and Hitachi Extend Partnership for 2014Team Penske announced today that it has extended its partnership with Hitachi for the 2014 IndyCar Series season.

Hitachi branding will continue to adorn the No. 3 Dallara/Chevrolet, driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves, for eight races during the 2014 IndyCar Series as part of the extension. Castroneves will first race in the Hitachi colors at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.) – the season-opening event for the 18-race IndyCar Series season – on Sunday, March 30. Hitachi will also serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 2 Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2014 as well as the No. 12 Verizon Dallara/Chevrolet driven by Will Power.

Rusty Wallace back behind the wheelTeam Penske and Miller Lite announced today that Rusty Wallace, NASCAR Hall of Famer and the 1989 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, will drive the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion this Thursday, January 9 during a NASCAR test at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). The occasion coincides with the 25th anniversary of Wallace’s 1989 championship and the approaching 40th anniversary of the original Miller Lite beer.

The Hall of Fame driver and current ESPN analyst will be wearing a firesuit with the original Miller Lite logo during the test. This retro firesuit will also be worn by Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford team crew members at the upcoming Daytona 500 as well. The Miller Lite Ford Fusion will also feature a commemorative white Miller Lite paint scheme for the “Great American Race”.

Pirelli, WC Vision Announce Five-Year Extension to Title and Official Tire PartnershipPirelli Tire North America and WC Vision announced today a five-year extension to the title and official tire partnership for the World Challenge Championships. The extension of the partnership between the premier tire brand and the top production car-based racing series will run through the 2018 season.

Back in October 2010, Pirelli became the series' exclusive tire supplier with all World Challenge classes running on the P Zero Racing Slick and the P Zero Rain Tire. Then on March 16, 2011, a growing partnership was formed with the announcement of the title sponsorship and a new title for the series, the Pirelli World Challenge Championships.

Formula E: How's It Stack Up On the Track?A new type of race car debuts Monday in Las Vegas with the public unveiling of the Spark-Renault SRT_01E, a fully electric vehicle capable of reaching 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour or more. The debut is a first glimpse of sorts at Formula E, an all-electric version of the hallowed Grand Prix racing circuit that begins this year in September in Beijing. For the inaugural season, all ten teams will run the Spark-Renault vehicle.

The new race has drawn celebrity support and international participation, with hopes that an electric Formula competition will boost fuel efficiency while adding an imprimatur of eco-friendliness to a sport not known for fuel conservation. But how do gas-fueled and electric race cars compare in terms of energy efficiency—one of the green selling points that has driven electric car growth?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has developed a conversion formula to enable energy efficiency comparisons between gasoline vehicles and electrics such as the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf. The EPA standard equates 33.7 kilowatt-hours (kWh) with 1 gallon of gasoline (3.8 liters).

Bill Elliott to test at Daytona for JR MotorsportsWhen Chase Elliott slides behind the wheel for his first NASCAR Nationwide Series test this weekend, he knows his legendary father will be right there behind him - perhaps even literally, since they'll both be on the race track. Chase Elliott will be one of three JRM drivers at the test, joining teammate #7-Regan Smith and his dad Bill, who will shake down a car for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt Jr. will take part in the Sprint Cup portion of Preseason Thunder slated for Thursday and Friday, but schedule conflicts will prevent the 11-time winner of NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award from taking part in the Nationwide test.

NASCAR Reinstates Former Crew Member Todd ParrottNASCAR has reinstated former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew member Todd Parrott upon his successful completion of NASCAR's Substance Abuse Policy Road to Recovery Program. Parrott had been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR on Oct. 17, 2013 for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy (NASCAR). Before his suspension, Parrott was the crew chief for the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford and driver Aric Almirola.

Formula E Drivers' ClubThe FIA Formula E Championship has today revealed the first eight drivers to show their support for the new fully-electric race series by signing up to its official Formula E Drivers’ Club.

Sebastien Buemi, Marco Andretti, Karun Chandhok, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Adrien Tambay, Ma Qing Hua, Lucas di Grassi and Takuma Sato have all committed to the new scheme, giving their official endorsement to the championship together with their willingness to race in the future. The new scheme will also give them the opportunity to experience track time in new Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E car, designed by Spark Racing Technologies together with a consortium of the leading names in motorsport including Dallara, McLaren, Williams, Renault and Michelin.

IndyCar news bits2013 IndyCar Series race winner Charlie Kimball became engaged to be married in December as did Indy Lights race winners Stefan Wilson and Peter Dempsey. ... Tony Kanaan will receive the BorgWarner Driver's Championship Trophy, commonly referred to as a Baby Borg, for winning the Indianapolis 500 on Jan. 15 as part of the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit.........KV Racing Technology co-owners Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven will be presented their BorgWarner Team Owner trophies.

In November, Carpenter announced he would scale back his schedule to the six oval races in 2014 and share his car with Conway, a race and pole winner during the 2013 season who will contest the 12 road/street circuit races.

"It did feel different watching, but the team worked well with Mike on developing the car. It was a good start for us. Overall, I like the direction we are going," said Carpenter, the sole team owner/driver in the IndyCar Series.

Video: Formula E race car rips on Las Vegas stripPolice closed Las Vegas Boulevard on Monday so a near-silent, all-electric race car could run up and down the strip.

The new Formula E cars won't turn a lap until September, but the FIA-sanctioned series wants to get as much promotion as possible before the first of 10 street races begins in Beijing.

Lucas di Grassi, who raced for Virgin Racing in the 2010 Formula One season, had the entire strip to himself from Mandalay Bay to Caesar's Palace, where a Grand Prix was held in 1981 and 1982. Los Angeles and Miami are on the Formula E calendar in February and March 2015.

The drive, timed with the thousands of technology fans and journalists attending the city's 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, was the car's first public demonstration since the series announced its formation in August 2012.

Chad Boat to run at least 15 NASCAR races this seasonChad Boat, the son of former USAC and IndyCar Series driver Billy Boat, will now look to make his name in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

21-year-old Chad (pictured, from 2011) will drive the No. 84 Chevrolet for his father’s Billy Boat Motorsports team in at least 15 Nationwide events this season. His debut is set for April 4 at Texas but he will take part in this week’s Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway to get track time.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to compete at the next level in my career,” Chad said in a press release. “We have a great team at Billy Boat Motorsports and I’m thankful for their hard work putting this program together. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the No. 84 Chevrolet this season.”

After the perfect run by the reigning Dakar champion Stephane Peterhansel (FR) in his black MINI ALL4 Racing at the 2014 Dakar Rally on Monday, the third competitive day of the world’s toughest endurance rally was another good one for the Monster Energy X-raid Team as well as the MINI brand. Joan “Nani” Roma (ES) in the yellow MINI ALL4 Racing and Krzystof Holowczyc (PL) in the red MINI ALL4 Racing claimed a one-two on the third Dakar leg which took the competitors via 301 timed kilometers from San Rafael to San Juan (both AR) and into the first foothills of the Argentinean Andes – a terrain well-suited for the MINI ALL4 Racing in which it could prove his core strengths: power, reliability and efficiency.

Meanwhile Nasser Al-Attiyah (QT) in his predominantly white MINI ALL4 Racing put the icing on the cake for the X-raid Team and the MINI brand. By finishing the day seventh, Al-Attiyah climbed to third in the overall classification. So the MINI brand holds a one-two-three overall with Roma in first, Orlando Terranova (AR), who finished fourth for the day, in second and Al-Attiyah in third heading into the fourth competitive Dakar day. “It was a good day for us, and leading the Dakar Rally definitely feels great,” says Roma. “We know that the race for the 2014 Dakar title is still a long one. But today gives us an extra motivation.”

Fry: Little room for error in 2014According to Ferrari engineer Pat Fry, a 'massive opportunity' exists for the Formula One teams to get their 2014 designs drastically wrong.

While most of the focus for the 2014 season has been around incorporating 1.6-litre turbo V6 engines into the cars successfully, the rules changes that come into effect this season also has major aerodynamic implications, which in turn affect the way the cars are cooled.

Fry believes specifically the manner in which the cars are cooled, specifically, are the most difficult to design optimally and that the teams who fail to do so will endure a difficult season.

"I think it is one of those years where you need to be developing your car rather than fixing cooling problems," Fry explained.

The three racing Force daughters were guests today on the Queen Latifah Show which will air on Wednesday, January 8th. Ashley, Brittany and Courtney Force sat down with the versatile Queen Latifah, the talk show host/actress/singer, to talk about racing as well as being role models for women around the country. After the in-studio segment the four women also took it to the “track” for a fun racing segment that included actor James Van Der Beek.

“Those Krazy Karts were so much fun. It was awesome to race James Van Der Beek and Queen Latifah. James got the win but I was spinning in circles and he got around me at the last second,” said Courtney Force. “It was an honor to be on her show and we are looking forward to having her come out to the Winternationals in Pomona. It is fun to do a show with someone who is that enthusiastic about girl power, fast cars and racing.”

Chase Elliott will compete full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports starting in 2014 and do so with NAPA Auto Parts as his full-season primary sponsor.

With Elliott as its driver, the 2014 season will mark NAPA’s 19th in NASCAR sponsorship. NAPA (National Automotive Parts Association) has more than 6,000 stores nationwide with more than 400,000 quality parts and accessories for automotive and industrial applications – the most extensive inventory in the industry. NAPA headquarters is in Atlanta, Ga., just a short distance from Elliott’s hometown of Dawsonville, Ga.

“NAPA is pleased to continue its long standing involvement in NASCAR, the most popular form of motorsports in the United States supported by its many loyal and passionate fans,” commented Dan Askey, President of NAPA. “Equally, we are proud to form this new partnership with JR Motorsports. Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Rick Hendrick and its many employees have developed one of the premier teams in the Nationwide Series. Chase Elliott is a young and talented, future star in the sport and will represent NAPA well both on and off the track. We welcome Chase and the entire JR Motorsports organization to the NAPA Family.”

Lotus F1 team technical director, Nick Chester gives an insight into the development of the E22 as the countdown to the first race of F1 2014 in Australia in March continues...

Nick, how is Enstone placed heading into the 2014 season?

Our E22 development program has been ongoing for over two years and it has been illuminating watching it grow. The backbone of Enstone is strong and we are relishing the challenge of the new season ahead.

How is progress with the E22?

From our perspective the figures look promising and development has been positive. That said, we are very much working with very little idea of what the other teams are doing. This is the first year of radically different regulations which means that all teams are developing their cars along potentially quite different avenues. It’s fascinating for us engineers and I hope it is fascinating for the fans too. We think we have a very good solution to the challenge and hopefully this will be seen when the E22 turns its wheels in anger.

After completing a full season with BK Racing in 2013, the decision has been mutually made to part ways between driver David Reutimann and BK Racing effective immediately.

Due to the current uncertainty of the team's 2014 driver lineup, driver David Reutimann has decided not to pursue a seat with BK Racing for 2014. No official driver lineup for the upcoming season is currently available at this time.

Suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield agreed to a plea deal Monday that will result in no jail time and that he hopes will lead to his eventual reinstatement to racing.

Mayfield faced seven felony charges — one charge of possession of methamphetamine, five charges for possession of stolen goods and one charge of obtaining property under false pretense, all stemming from a Nov. 1, 2011 search of his home. The charges carried more than 20 years in prison.

He pleaded guilty Monday in North Carolina Superior Court to three misdemeanors, two for possession of stolen goods and one for possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, which will be suspended as long as he doesn't violate an 18-month probation. He also must pay a total of $88,124.41 in restitution to the victims as well as $1,100 in fines and court costs. The guilty plea he entered is known as an Alford plea, one where the defendant admits there is enough evidence to convict although not necessarily admitting to the acts themselves.

Dakar Rally streaming daily on NBC Sports Live ExtraAll daily stage recaps of this year’s Dakar Rally will be streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra in addition to being broadcast on NBCSN.

Sunday’s coverage of Stage 1 was handled by NBC Formula One essayist Sam Posey, but all other recaps will feature commentary from NBC F1/IndyCar voice Leigh Diffey.

"Many racing events claim to be the ultimate test of man and machine, but they simply do not compare to the Dakar Rally," Diffey said in an NBC Sports Group release. "Make no mistake – racing for 24 continuous hours is tough, but competing for two weeks is an all-together different deal.

"The grueling and at times life-threatening nature of this event is awe-inspiring. The spectacular scenery sometimes softens the immense bravery and sheer gritty determination of the competitors. Dakar is an event like no other."

Formula E’s new fully-electric race car, the Spark-Renault SRT_01E, made its first ever public demonstration today, entertaining crowds with a high-speed display around the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Capable of speeds in excess of 150mph, the zero emission single-seater was driven by former Formula One driver Lucas di Grassi and gave invited guests, media and onlookers their first chance to see and hear the cars that will compete in the new FIA Formula E Championship - the world’s first fully-electric racing series beginning in September.

Formula E is a new FIA championship which will compete on 10 city-centre circuits around the globe including two races in the US – Miami and Los Angeles – which take place in the spring of 2015. Ten teams, each with two drivers, will go head-to-head to create a unique and exciting racing series designed to appeal to a new generation of motorsport fan, whilst accelerating the electric vehicle market and promoting sustainability.

Day 2 of Dakar and in the car category, Stephane Peterhansel took control of the race, picking up his 62nd stage victory, following Carlos Sousa's mishaps at the start of the special.

Peterhansel took up the position of leader, conquered on completion of a stage driven with the requisite doses of calm and aggression! It was perhaps this control of pace that was lacking for yesterday's winner Carlos Sousa, who ground to a halt after 33 km of the special, after breaking his turbo. The Portuguese driver, who is often among the most regular in the discipline, could paradoxically leave the race prematurely whilst having started the day in first place. At the very least, between San Rafael and San Luis, he will have lost a considerable number of hours, robbing him of any hope of victory or even the podium in Valparaiso.

(GMM) Nine days into his coma, positive news is finally emerging from the Michael Schumacher camp.

Multiple authoritative media sources, including major German news agencies and television broadcasters, cited the 45-year-old's manager Sabine Kehm in reporting that Schumacher's life is no longer in imminent danger.

"This is a certain relief," she is quoted by Spain's El Mundo. "For the family, the situation is calmer.

"This is the start of a long, long period, but thankfully less difficult now.

12 Indy Lights cars slated to testThe Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires series has a two-day test (Jan. 7-8) scheduled for later this week at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. IndyCar remains in a winter testing blackout until after the 8th; still, Lights running is at least some signs of life for the American open-wheel world in an otherwise dreary, long, frigid winter.

The 12 cars entered for the test match last year’s season-high set at Houston. It’s a promising sign to see this many cars already because chances are enough budgets will materialize for at least two or three more cars come the St. Petersburg season opener in late March.

As to who’ll be driving them, the seven confirmed driver/team combinations will all be in action. Those are:

JR Hildebrand moves from IndyCar to Formula D (Update)UPDATE JR Hildebrand writes, Dear AR1.com, I just saw the article posted about me bailing on IndyCar and doing Formula D this year - I don't know where that came from but could not be further from the truth.

As far as my 2014 plans go, there are 3-4 potential IndyCar seats that I am pursuing and I feel in the running for, but navigating the financial waters to procure sponsorship to solidify those opportunities, or to work with the teams in doing so have been more difficult than I (and a lot of others I think) anticipated. As such, I'm looking at other series and situations where I think I can continue to gain valuable experience and work toward future programs - sports cars, possibly even Formula E - I think the concept is rather interesting and exciting.

Chevrolet cars to get Wi-Fi Hotspots via AT&T 4GStarting this summer, Chevrolet will have some of the fastest vehicles on the roads, and that has nothing to do with horsepower. Chevrolet drivers will be enjoying high-speed data - made possible by a new OnStar 4G LTE connection in the vehicle, running on AT&T¹s network, the nation¹s fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network.

Today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Chevrolet announced that the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette, Impala, Malibu, and Volt d will be the first General Motors vehicles to come optionally equipped with OnStar 4G LTE. They will be followed by the Equinox, Silverado, Silverado HD, Spark and Spark EV. In the Canadian market, OnStar with 4G LTE will be introduced on the Chevrolet Trax as well. The majority of the 2015 Chevrolet lineup in the U.S and Canada will have a 4G LTE connection built-in at vehicle launch. More models will be announced later this year.

F1 infected with series-killing ride-buyer disease (Update)UPDATE Luca di Montezemolo seems to have forgotten that Spanish bank Santander only came on board at Ferrari when they contracted Fernando Alonso, or was it the other way around ... was it when Ferrari signed its contract with Santander that they could afford Alonso? He also says the only movement of drivers this year, where no money was involved, is from Raikkonen to Ferrari ... This time he seems to forget three things, their own ex driver Massa went without bringing any money to Williams (or did he ... Petrobras ?), with Hulkenberg's return to Force India there is also no money involved and Magnussen doesn't bring in any money at McLaren.

01/05/14 Like all open wheel race series, F1 too has the disease that will eventually be its undoing. Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo believes that the fact that the midfield F1 driver market this season has been dominated by pay drivers is a warning sign that F1 is not in a good situation.

"If we look at the teams today, in my whole career of F1, I have never seen teams survive with the money of the drivers," he said.

"This year all the movements of the drivers has been basically based - except for [Kimi] Raikkonen to Ferrari - based on what money drivers can give to the teams.

"This is for Force India, for Sauber, for Lotus and for Williams. It is not healthy..."

Dakar: Carlos Sousa leads after first stageEveryone expected the motorcycle competition to be wide open, and that is indeed what the classification shows after the opening stage. Joan Barreda posted the fastest time of the day, with no fewer than four different manufacturers in the top four: Marc Coma, Cyril Despres and… Alain Duclos with his Sherco. Meanwhile, Carlos Sousa sprang a surprise by beating the Minis for the stage win in the car category. On the other end of the spectrum, today was a black day for Gordon, Guerlain Chicherit and BJ Baldwin. Mardeev prevailed in the truck category.

What was already a certainty has now been confirmed! Joan Barreda surely deserves his reputation as the fastest rider in the world. The former Husqvarna rider who moved to Honda in the middle of the season inaugurated his 2014 Dakar with an acrobatic performance. The fast, winding courses on the program of today's special in the Cordoba area seemed tailor-cut to the Spanish stage hunter, who also used his favorable starting place (no. 3) to his advantage. He inched closer to Marc Coma, who was riding in the slipstream of defending champion Cyril Despres. In the end, Barreda perched himself at the top of the general classification and grabbed the 6th special of his career... Not bad, considering he has taken part in 30.

However, the Dakar saw its first surprise, as Alain Duclos caught the pundits unaware to finish fourth in today's stage, a mere 1′56″ slower than Barreda. The French rider had already said before the race that he was confident the changes made to his Sherco since last year would allow him to aim for the top places. Considering Duclos has not raced since the last edition, today's performance shows his boast was not an empty one.

The fastest quad riders in the field showed why they are the favorites on the same course. Last year's runner-up Ignacio Casale bolstered his claim to the crown by winning the opening stage. Although his margin is still razor-thin, the Chilean can be proud of beating defending champion Marcos Patronelli by 6″ to add a second Dakar stage win to his booty.

It is never a good idea to judge a driver's potential before he gets the chance to express himself on the course. On paper, race dynamics and the raw power of the 11 Minis on the start line left little hope for outsiders. And yet the competition fought back with one of the dark horses of the Dakar, who pipped Peterhansel, Al-Attiyah, Sainz and Roma for the stage win. Carlos Sousa, who has been exceptionally consistent since 2001 and has finished nine Dakars in a row in the top 7, took his sixth victory, this time at the wheel of a 4x4 built by the Chinese official Haval manufacturer. His last Dakar win dates from 2007, when the Portuguese rider triumphed in front of his home crowd at the end of a sinuous opening stage in Portimao.

A pleasant surprise for Sousa, but a bitter one for Orlando Terranova, another specialist of the technical courses typical of the C¢rdoba area. An 11-second deficit on the finish line meant the Argentinean had to settle for second, although he was the fastest driver in the Mini team - a hotly contested subclassification of sorts. Stephane Peterhansel's puncture towards the end made him lose some time to Sousa and Terranova, but also to Al-Attiyah (third at +47″), Roma (fourth at 1′15″) and even Carlos Sainz (fifth at 4′03″). With six cars in the top 10, the X-raid Team can be pleased with the results. Things are less rosy for Giniel De Villiers, who had steering problems and lost almost 16 minutes to Sousa in San Luis. Robby Gordon was one of today's flops after starting the special half an hour behind schedule. The American is set to lose tonnes of time, although perhaps less than the two buggies in Eric Vigouroux's team, with Guerlain Chicherit and BJ Baldwin at the wheel. They both had to stop less than 20 km from the finish to repair problems with petrol evaporation.

The battle among the trucks was also a lively one. At the end of the 180 km special, only a few minutes separate the big favorites. Mardeev's Kamaz won this winding stage, while a dubitative start led defending champion Nikolaev to finish fifth, four minutes down. With Loprais, De Rooy and Van Vliet in between the two Russians, the top 5 are separated by less than four minutes.

Former CART and NASCAR driver Robby Gordon, whose Hummer was late onto the stage and then stopped on the course - marking the second year in succession that Gordon has had a torrid opening day.

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